Whole wheat seedy Crackers

Another recipe of crackers, this one is flatter and the texture is different from the parmesan cheese crackers, it is crunchy and crispy. 

This recipe is healthier because it contains neither butter nor cheese.

Ingredients
150g whole wheat flour
140g all purpose flour, additional for rolling
1/3 cup poppy seeds*
1/3 cup sesame seeds*
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tbsp olive oil
192g water

*You can use 2/3cup sesame seeds OR poppy seeds OR other seeds!

Instructions
1. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, seeds, salt, baking powder
Then add in oil and water, mix well

2. Place the dough onto a slightly floured working surface & knead 5 times
Divide the dough into 8 portions, cover with a towel or plastic wrap
Let it rest for 15mins

3. Preheat the oven to 230°c
Line a tray with baking sheet

4. Roll out a portion to 1/8", use a pizza roller or a knife to cut the dough into small pieces, then place each piece on the tray carefully with little bit of spacing between each piece

If there is room on the tray, roll out another portion, repeat step 4

5. When the oven is ready, put the tray into the oven and bake for 12mins

Note: You can also baking one side for 6 mins, then flip & bake for another 4-6mins

6. When the crackers are ready, place them on the cooling rack
When it is completely cool, store in air-tight container for maximum 2 weeks

Enjoy!

Coconut raspberry scone

This recipe is special because it contains coconut cream :) I also like the texture inside, it's like a cake which is soft

This is my experimental batches - 2 different forms, 1 batch baked in cupcake mould (in the middle), another batch baked without any mould & without freezing ahead

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

113g cold butter, diced

2-3 eggs
3/4 cup coconut cream

1 cup frozen raspberries
1/2 cup shredded coconut

Extra coconut cream
Extra shredded coconut
cane sugar

Instructions
1. In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder & salt
Add in diced butter, beat and mix well

2. Add in eggs & coconut cream, mix well
Add in raspberries & shredded coconut

It is normal that the dough becomes sticky but won't stick too much around the bowl

3. You can either follow method 1 or 2
Method 1 - Use a cupcake pan
- Preheat oven to 205°c
- Scoop the dough and place it in a cupcake pan, fill 80%
- Brush lightly coconut cream on the top, then sprinkle shredded coconut & cane sugar on the top 
- Go to step 4

Method 2 - Without any mould
- Line baking sheet on a tray
- Scoop the dough and place it on the tray, use the spoon to shape it like a ball
- Brush lightly coconut cream on the top, then sprinkle shredded coconut & cane sugar on the top 
- Place the tray into the freezer for 30mins
- Preheat oven to 205°c

4. Bake the scones for 20mins or until it becomes golden

Serve hot
Enjoy!

Baked salmon & broccoli in Asian style

Salmon is rich in omega 3, healthy food. I like eating salmon in Japanese way - sashimi :) but I also like frying salmon on the pan, the half-done salmon with crispy skin is delicious! What about in the oven? May be I can explore some other ways to make salmon, so here is baked salmon.

Ingredients
1 head broccoli, broken into florets*

4 skin-on salmon fillet
juice 1/2 lemon 
3 stalks spring onions, sliced

Optional: olive oil

2 tbsp soy sauce

* If you want to keep the trunks of the broccoli as well, use boiling method - see step 1 **note

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 180°C
Wash and drain the broccoli and, while still a little wet, lay them on the tray (no fillet for the moment)

Pour some lemon juice over broccoli. Bake for 10mins**

**Note: instead of baking the broccoli, you can boil the broccoli at medium heat flower part: 1-2mins & trunks: 5mins, run the broccoli immediately under cool water when time is up, drain water and set aside

2. After 10mins, take the tray out from the oven, push the broccoli aside, lay fillets with skin facing the bottom

3. Top with the rest of lemon juice on the fillets

Sprinkle spring onions & drizzle with a little olive oil over everything

Put the tray back to oven and bake for another 15mins

4. After 15mins, take the tray out from the oven once more, sprinkle everything with the soy sauce

Then return to the oven for 4 mins more until the salmon is cooked through

Serve hot with rice!
Enjoy!

Parmesan & seeds whole wheat Crackers

I love crackers, they are crispy and smell really good, because of the butter... but I like to have more seeds on the top, I better make mine so that I can put whatever I want on the top :)

This recipe is a good one, the crackers are crunchy and the smell of parmesan is very nice!

You can serve it as snacks or aperitif !!

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground pepper
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

120g cold unsalted butter
1/2 cup cream OR half and half*

Optional:
Sea salt
Sunflower seeds
Any seeds you like

*Cream 30% fat
Half & half = half portion of whole milk + half portion of cream 30% fat

Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 230°C
Line 2 baking sheets on 2 trays, set aside

2. In a mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt, pepper & cheese
Add in cold butter, beat well until the butter blends in the mixture
Add in cream, beat until all ingredients blend well

3. Separate 2 dough into 2 portions

4. Roll one portion out into thin layer about 1/8"

Sprinkle sea salt & seeds on the top
Roll the dough again so salt & seeds well attach on the dough

5. Use a pizza cutter or a knife to divide the dough into small portions (pre-cut)
You can also use a fork to pinch holes on the dough, but I found that is not a must

6. Put the dough in the oven and let it bake for 8-10mins or when the edge becomes golden color

7. Repeat step 4 - 6 for 2nd portion of dough

8. When the crackers are ready, take them out
Leave the crackers on a cooling rack until it's completely cool, then you can transfer them to a zip-log bag 
OR you can taste them immediately :)

Enjoy!

Korean stew beef & radish

I like this stew meat because I like tender meat. Also I like stew vegetables. I rarely eat steak or fried meat, it will be my choice when I eat out, definitely not at home.

I like this recipe because it is with Korean sauce, especially the white radish absorbs the sauce, awww, it is too delicious.... The sauce smells really good the whole house :)

Ingredients
500g beef (brisket)
Korean barbecue sauce, click here for the recipe

1 white radish
1/8 cup rice
salt

vegetable oil
1/4 Asian pear/ Chinese pear, diced
1 tbsp rice wine
1/2 cup Korean sauce
1 small rock sugar
hot water

Instructions
1. Soak the beef with korean barbecue sauce, ideally the whole night, or several hours
Tips: use zip lock bag to help, shake the beef and sauce to mix them well

2. The next day or after several hours you soaked the beef, prepare the white radish

In a pot, boil water. When water boils, add in rice and salt, then add in white radish
Cook it at medium heat until your fork can insert in the white radish

3. In another pot, I used Dutch oven, heat up oil, take out the beef from the fridge, add it in and fry it 
Add in diced pear & white radish

Then add in rice wine, korean sauce, rock sugar & hot water. You should be able to cover the beef and some of the radish

Let it cook at low heat for 1 hour - 1.5hour, until the beef becomes tender

4. After 1 hour, taste if salt is needed

Serve hot with rice
Enjoy!

Korean barbecue sauce

It is real easy to buy sauce at the supermarket, it looks complicated to make your own... but these few years I start making different cuisine of different countries, I have lots of spices and ingredients at home. So now I start making my own sauce.

Actually Korean sauce consists of general ingredients, you may have them sitting at home but you didn't realize it! 
Try to make it once and then you'll understand why you no longer want to buy them in the supermarket :) 

It is healthier - without any preservatives... you can also make any quantity you want by multiplying the ingredient portions.
You can use this sauce for fried or stew, even as the name barbecue!

Ingredients
3 cloves garlic
2" fresh ginger
2 stalks scallions

1 tbsp sesame seed

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup Asian (Chinese) pear juice/purée
1 tbsp honey
2 tbsp sesame oil
black pepper

Instructions
1. Chop finely garlic & ginger

Sliced finely scallions, white & green part

Crush sesame seeds in a mortar & pestle to release the flavor

2. Mix everything together

You can use it right away or store it in an air-tight container for a week

Enjoy!

Creamy mushroom soup

Sometimes I just want to make something simple, so soup is good. It is easy, fast and yummy.

Ingredients
2 tbsp unsalted butter

3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced

250g mushroom

3 carrots
2 stalks celery

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 cup flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup half & half*

* half & half = half portion of cream + half portion of milk

Instructions
1. Thinly slice mushroom, peel and dice carrots & dice celery

2. In a Dutch oven at medium heat, melt butter
Add in garlic, onion, mushroom, carrot & celery, stir well
Let it cook until tender, about 4-5 mins

3. Add in thyme and let it cook for 1 min or until you smell the fragrance

4. Whisk in flour, stir with all vegetables, stir well
Add in chicken stock & bay leaf, let it cook, stir regularly, until it is thickened a bit (about 5mins)

5. Add in half & half , bring it to boil
Season with salt and pepper if necessary

If the soup becomes too thick, add more half & half until the consistency is well

Serve hot
Enjoy!